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Thread: Black Walnuts

  1. #1
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    Default Black Walnuts

    We have a black walnut tree in our backyard. Clearly they are safe for the squirrels as the wild squirrels leave the pieces everywhere in our yard.

    I’ve searched and searched the boards and I can’t find a firm answer. Do I just give her the whole thing when it’s green? If not, when can she have them? Lastly, do I need to peel the outer skin off for her (with 16 pairs of gloves on)?

    I just don’t want to give her anything that could hurt her. She’s been with us for too long (almost 10 months) but with my husband working opposite schedule from me, getting her release cage done took way longer than planned.

    Thanks! These boards have lowered anxiety about taking care of her soooo many times.

  2. #2
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    Default Re: Black Walnuts

    Well, she would likely have a ball peeling the green husk off. HOWEVER!!! Every year when the black walnuts begin to ripen, we get dozens of people on here panicked because their favorite yard squirrel has a "terrible black fungus" all over her face...and pics reveal it is actually a bunch of black walnut goop that is stuck in the fur and has dirt stuck in it. Your squirrel will look the same. Those husks were used to make dark brown dye at one point in time. So you can look forward to a huge freaking mess.

    Honestly, black walnut shells (all nice and peeled and cleaned of the gunk) are so freaking HARD that lots of squirrels won't ever get into one, or it will take days of work. In MY book, that is plenty of fun, and I personally would peel the things. But if she is outside now and you want her to see what they are like in nature, the husks won't hurt her.

  3. Serious fuzzy thank you's to CritterMom from:

    JFo (06-23-2019)

  4. #3
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    Default Re: Black Walnuts

    Thank you so much! I’ll probably peel a few and give her a few not peeled. Anything that is a new activity for her I also think she enjoys.

    When she was still inside simply changing up the locations of her “toys” would get her jumping around and wrestling with them.

  5. #4
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    Default Re: Black Walnuts

    I would wait until you begin to see that the pieces are being scattered by your wild squirrels and then hand them over to this one.

  6. #5
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    Default Re: Black Walnuts

    In captivity it is a different story, for you provide the diet, not the wild. Black Walnuts have about an (8:1) ratio of Phosphorus to Calcium. By comparison, the English (Persian) walnut has a (3.5:1) Phosphorus to Calcium ratio.

    https://tools.myfooddata.com/nutriti...t6-wt3&qty=1-1

    Black walnuts are also higher in oxalates, a calcium robbing anti-nutrient in plant sources. This makes the actual ratio of Calcium to Phosphorus much higher; for the higher the ratio of phosphorus to calcium, the less calcium is absorbed into the bloodstream. Calcium from this nut is nil. Again, by comparison, the English walnut according to a study done with US on oxalates in nuts, though most nuts have around 200 mg. of oxalates, English walnuts have about 74 mg. oxalates, making them one of the lowest in oxalates of all nuts. The Black walnut by comparison is very high in oxalates, leaving no bioavailable calcium to the body. .

  7. #6
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    Default Re: Black Walnuts

    Quote Originally Posted by CritterMom View Post
    I would wait until you begin to see that the pieces are being scattered by your wild squirrels and then hand them over to this one.
    I don’t know if their ripe yet but there are definitely scraps all over the ground. Enough so that it was hard to find one for her that wasn’t already eaten.

    On a side note, in the process of searching for them I realized we also have a pecan tree out there. The fruits look pretty similar.

  8. #7
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    Default Re: Black Walnuts

    Quote Originally Posted by Diggie's Friend View Post
    In captivity it is a different story, for you provide the diet, not the wild. Black Walnuts have about an (8:1) ratio of Phosphorus to Calcium. By comparison, the English (Persian) walnut has a (3.5:1) Phosphorus to Calcium ratio.

    https://tools.myfooddata.com/nutriti...t6-wt3&qty=1-1

    Black walnuts are also higher in oxalates, a calcium robbing anti-nutrient in plant sources. This makes the actual ratio of Calcium to Phosphorus much higher; for the higher the ratio of phosphorus to calcium, the less calcium is absorbed into the bloodstream. Calcium from this nut is nil. Again, by comparison, the English walnut according to a study done with US on oxalates in nuts, though most nuts have around 200 mg. of oxalates, English walnuts have about 74 mg. oxalates, making them one of the lowest in oxalates of all nuts. The Black walnut by comparison is very high in oxalates, leaving no bioavailable calcium to the body. .
    We are working on release with her and I assume she’s going to eat them when she’s set free. Do you mean you don’t think she should have them now, or if she was not going to be released don’t provide them for her?

    Or did I misunderstand the post completely

  9. #8
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    Default Re: Black Walnuts

    Depends upon when you are releasing her; if this week it is fine, if in a month not, for the anti nutrient in this source being higher than that of English Walnut, reduces the bioavailability of the calcium in the other foods that they are consumed with in their intestines, but also in her bloodstream. Generally speaking, black walnuts due to both their higher P:Ca ratio., and high oxalate level should not be included in a captive care diet. Instead, feed organic produced English walnuts, as they are moderate in oxalates and have a closer Ca:P ratio also that will lend better support from calcium in her diet till released.

    Then once release the seasonal diet, that you can offer a calcium supplement to support, will balance out the higher phosphorus consumption of Fall into winter, when in the spring when green shoots and buds appear, that provide a bioavailable calcium source, along with their eating the sap from their non toxic food trees that rises in the trunks into the branches of the tree canopy. In the Summer tree squirrels are seen pulling up grasses to chew on the soil that surrounds the roots that contains calcium and other minerals, along with a key source of good gut bacteria, which supports the degrading of oxalates that supports the calcium in nuts to be preserved to be utilized by their body.

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